Device for delivering metallic leaf from a package thereof



Patented Apr. 25, 1939 PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR DELIVER/ING METALLIC LEAF FROM A PACKAGE THEREOF Edward J. Cavanaugh, Brattleboro, Vt., assignor of one-fifth to Fenton E. Batton, Brattleboro,

Application September 1, 1938, Serial No. 228,067

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for delivering metallic leaf from a package thereof.

More specifically, the invention relates to a device for delivering metallic leaf such as gold leaf from a package thereof and to a position for application by a brush.

The present method employed in the application of gold leaf, briefly considered, consists in exposing an estimated area of the leaf by folding back a protective onion skin paper, after which the leaf is cut by drawing the thumb nail across the same.

A thin brush is then rubbed through the hair for the purpose of gathering a thin coat of oil on the bristles thereof, which upon being laid upon the severed section of leaf will cause same to adhere thereto. The brush supporting the gold leaf is then held rather close to the Surface containing the usual wet sizing and from the static in the sizing the leaf will jump from the brush to the sized surface.

This method of applying gold leaf has been found to be objectionable from the following defects.

(a) It is an extremely slow and tedious task in that the sizing, which must be very Wet, dries rapidly and must constantly be renewed due to the time required to deliver the leaf thereto.

(b) A great deal of Wasted time and effort are expended in that the brush must be laid down after each leaf transfer operation in order to turn back the protective onion skin paper to expose more leaf to be used.

Furthermore, the additionally exposed leaf must be cut by the thumb nail, the brush picked up and again drawn through the hair.

(c) The present method is an unnecessarily expensive one, in that a poor estimation of the required amount of leaf results in waste of this very expensive material. Furthermore, the many motions required in the application of the leaf materially adds to the expense of the application thereof.

While devices have heretofore been proposed for delivering gold leaf from packages of roll form in contradistinction to the usual packages of book form, nevertheless such devices made no provision for transfer of the leaf by means of a brush which is highly desirable if the leaf can be delivered from the package quickly and without waste thereof.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a device for expeditiously delivering metallic leaf from a package thereof to a position for ready application to a Wet sized surface by means of a brush and Without waste of the leaf.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the present character which embodies adjustable means for supporting rolls of leaf of various widths.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device for delivering metallic leaf which embodies means for supporting a roll of leaf, a leaf supporting and exposing surface, a supporting handle, and means accessible by a finger of a hand grasping the handle for withdrawing the leaf from the roll thereof.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the present character Which is relatively simple in construction, quick and accurate in operation, and by the use of which the foregoing objections to the method of applying gold leaf are overcome.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference will now be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of the improved device in accordance With a preferred embodiment thereof.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section substantially in a plane represented by line 2 2 in Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the device, partially in section.

Figure 4. is an enlarged section of the device, partially in elevation and partially in section.

Referring now to the drawing by reference characters, and wherein like characters designate like parts, F designates a frame which includes a pair of spaced parallel plates I and II which are connected at their upper edges and maintained in spaced relation by a spacer bar I 2, bolts I3 extending through the plates and spacer bar. The frame F further includes a plate I4 parallel with and in spaced relation to plate I I.

A flat leaf supporting plate I5 bears upon the upper edges of the plates Ill, II and I4 and extends substantially outwardly of the plate I4.

` The supporting plate I5 includes a plurality of right angularly disposed apertured ears I6 through which the bolts I 3 extend for securing the plate I5 in xed position.

The plates I0 and I4 are each provided with a boss Il adjacent each end thereof, the bosses being apertured in transverse registry for the reception of relatively long studs I8 and I9, said studs also extend through apertures in plate II.

The stud I8V is journaled for rotation in the oppositely disposed bosses I'I, while the stud I9 is preferably fixed in the boss I'I of plate I0.

Intermediate the studs I8 and I9 is a third stud 20 which extends through transversely aligned apertures in all three plate I0, I I and I4.

Suitably fixed on the stud or shaft I8 intermediate the plates II and I4 is a leaf strip pull off roller 2| and rotatably mounted on the stud I 9 intermediate plates I I and I4 is the roll package of metallic leaf 22.

The gold leaf is supported by a continuous protective strip wound on the roll 22 and the strip is unwound from the roll as the leaf is required for use upon rotation of the roller 2| to which the strip is secured and upon which the unloaded strip is wound as the leaf is being used.

The stud or shaft I8 to which the roller 2| is secured is intermittently rotated by novel ratchet mechanism which includes a ratchet wheel 23 and actuating drum 24 mounted on the stud I8 between the plates II'I and II.

The ratchet wheel 23 is xed to the stud I8 and the drum 24 is rotatably mounted on the stud at one side of the ratchet wheel 23.

A pawl 25 is pivotally supported by the drum 24 and is maintained in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel by a small wire spring 26 having one end thereof fixed to the drum as at 2l and the free end bearing against the pawl.

The drum is intermittently rotated by means of a trigger 28 which is pivoted at 29 between the plates II) and II and motion of the trigger is communicated to the drum 24 by a flexible metallic band 30 having its opposite ends secured to the drum 24 and trigger 28 as at 3| and 32 respectively.

The trigger 28 is movable between a pair of limiting stops 33 and 34 and the drum 24 is internally provided with a helical leaf spring 35 having one end thereof secured to the plate I as at 33 and the opposite end secured to the drum as at 3l. The spring 35 thus mounted normally urges the drum in a counterclockwise direction and through the band 36 draws the trigger 28 into engagement with the stop 34.

Upon movement of the trigger 28 by the nger of a user in a leftward direction in Figure 2, the drum 24 will be rotated through the connecting band 3D to an extent determined by the position of the stop 33 .which engages and limits the manual movement of the trigger 28. Upon release of trigger 28 when it engages the limiting stop 33 the spring 35 draws the drum and trigger back to normal position with the trigger in engagement with the stop 34.

UponY such intermittent rotation and recession of the drum 24,*the pawl 25 will impart stepped rotation to the stud I8 and the roller 2| secured thereto. Y Y

The spring 25 is just strong enough to maintain the pawl 25 in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 23 and thus permits the pawl to ride over the teeth without any material tendency toward reverse rotation of stud I8 upon release of trigger 28.

The frame F is supported by, and the trigger 28, readily accessible from a hand gripping handle 39 having a iiattened apertured end 40 disposed between plates I0 and II and rotatably supported on the stud 2Q. Y

The'stud 20 is provided with a rigid collar 4I engaging the side of plate II opposite plate I0 and the end of the stud outwardly of plate I9 is threaded as at 42 for the reception of a locking and adjusting nut 43.

While the plates I0 and II are maintained in parallel spaced relation at their outer edges by the bar I2, the plate IIJ is sufficiently yieldable to permit a binding against the attened end 40 of handle 39 when the nut 43 is screwed up and upon loosening the nut the handle may be turned to the most convenient angular positionv relative to the frame F whereupon the nut 43 is again drawn up.

In order to maintain a frictional drag on rolls 2| and 22 as well as to provide for rolls of various widths, the plate I4 is adjustably anchored to the stud 20 by the following preferred means.

The plate I4 is provided with a longitudinally split bushing 44 through which stud 20 extends and the bushing is externally tapered and threaded for engagement by a nut 45 which upon being screwed up will bind the split bushing in xed engagement with the stud 25 whereby the plate I4 may be rigidly secured at any desired distance from the plate Ii. In order to prevent flexing of the plate I4 and thereby maintain equal drag on the rolls, the plate is preferably provided with a reinforcing rib 46.

In'the use of the improved device hereinbefore described, the handle 39 is held in the left hand of the user and the foreinger of such hand is placed on the trigger 28 for intermittent rotation of roller 2| and the consequent Withdrawal of gold leaf from the roll 22 to a brush seizing position on the plate I5.

The holding of the device in the left hand leaves the users right hand free for using the brush in transferring the leaf from the plate I to the sized surface on which the leaf is to be deposited.

From the foregoing disclosure it will be seen that the improved device greatly increases speed of leaf application in. that:

(a) A great deal more fold leaf can beV applied before the sizing dries.

(11)' The brush need not be laid down each time additional leaf is required but can be constantly used until the sizing dries.

(c) It is no longer necessary to estimate the Vwidth of leaf that is required because-a roll of leaf conforming to the size of required letters can be placed on the stud I9.

While I have disclosed-only a single specific embodiment of the invention, same is to be considered as illustrative solely, and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being defined in the sub-joined claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for use in the application of metallic leaf comprising a frame, a supporting handle adjustably connected with the frame, a flat leaf supporting plate connected with the frame, a leaf roll supporting VstudV adjacent vone endV of the frame, a stud at the opposite end of the frame for supporting a roller for withdrawing leaf from the roll into working position on the supporting plate, and finger actuating means accessible from the handle for imparting intermittent rotation to the second named stud, 'the handle being supported by a third stud, and the frame including a plate adjustably connected with the third stud for providing a drag on the roll and for permitting the application of rolls of various widths on the rst named stud. Y

2. A device for use in the application of metallic leaf comprising a frame, a supporting handle adjustably connected with the frame, a flat leaf supporting plate* connected with the frame, a leaf roll supporting stud adjacent one end of the frame, a stud at the opposite end of the frame for supporting a roller for withdrawing leaf from the roll into working position on the supporting plate, and finger actuating means accessible from the handle for imparting intermittent rotation to the second named stud, the finger actuating means comprising a ratchet on the second named stud, a trigger pivo-tally connected with the fram-e, and a flexible connection between the ratchet and trigger.

3. A device for supporting a roll package of gold leaf and for successively delivering same to a position for application by a brush, compris-- ing a frame having a flat leaf supporting plate at the top thereof, a leaf roll supporting stud at one end of the frame, a stud at the opposite end of the frame for supporting a roller adapted to withdraw leaf from the roll over the supporting plate, a frame supporting handle intermediate the studs, pawl and ratchet means on the second named stud for imparting intermittent rotation thereto, and a trigger intermediate the handle and second named stud for actuating the pawl.

4. The structure defined in claim 3 wherein the frame includes a pair of relatively fixed plates, and a plate adjustably mounted relative to the fixed plates, a third stud extending through the fixed and adjustable plates, the handle being pivotally adjustably supported by the last named stud intermediate the relatively fixed plates, and means carried by the last named plate for adjustable gripping connection with the last named stud for varying the spacing between the adjustable plate and one of the relatively fixed plates for supporting roll packages of leaf of varying widths.

5. A device for use in the application of gold leaf comprising a pair of parallel plates, a spacing bar between and secured to the plates at the upper edges thereof, a third plate parallel with the first named plates and spaced therefrom, a leaf roll supporting stud extending through all of the plates adjacent corresponding ends thereof and fixed in one of the plates, a second stud rotatably extending through the opposite corresponding ends of all of the plates and adapted to support a roller for withdrawing leaf from the leaf roll, a flat leaf supporting plate secured to the pair of plates and extending beyond the last nam-ed plate, a ratchet wheel secured to the second stud, a ratchet wheel actuating pawl rotatably supported on the second stud, a trigger pivotally supported between the pair of parallel plates, a connection between the trigger and pawl, a third stud extending through all of the plates intermediate the first and second named studs, and a handle supported by the last named stud intermediate the pair of parallel plates.

6. The structure defined in claim 5 wherein the handle is provided with a flattened portion, the last named stud being threaded externally of the pair of parallel plates, and a nut engaged with the thread-ed stud for drawing the lower free edges of the pair of parallel plates into gripping relation with the flattened portion.

7 The structure defined in claim 5 wherein the third plate is provided with a threaded and tapered split bushing through which the last named stud extends, and a nut engaged with the bushing for locking the plate to the stud at various distances from the adjacent one of the pair of parallel plates for supporting leaf rolls and rollers of Varying widths on the respective studs eX- tending through the ends of the plates.

8. A device for use in the application of metallic leaf comprising an elongated frame for positioning substantially horizontally when in use, a frame supporting handle depending from the frame and adjustably connected therewith, a fiat leaf supporting plate connected with the frame and overlying same, a leaf roll supporting stud adjacent one end of the frame, a stud adjacent the opposite -end of the frame for supporting a roller for withdrawing leaf from the roll into working position on the supporting plate, and finger actuating means adjacent the handle and accessible to a finger of an operators hand in gripping engagement with the handle for imparting rotation to the second named stud.

EDWARD J. CAVANAUGI-I. 

